Ravioli machine



Jan. 7, 1941. L. G. LoMBr RAVIOLI MACHINE Filed oct. 5, 19:59

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 7, 1941. G, LOMB] RAVIOLIMACHINE Filed Oct. 5,1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NAS my .e

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Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE 2,227,728 K RAVIOLIMACHINE Louis G. Lombi, West Englewood, N. I.

Application October 5, 1939, Serial No. 298,019

9 claims. (ol. iov-1) The invention here disclosed relates to themanufacture of ravioli and generally similar products.

Objects of the invention are to accomplish proper sheeting and feedingof the dough or pastry material, the segregating and depositing ofmeasured charges of filling material over a die cavity, on one of thesheets, the smooth laying of the other sheet over the deposited material10 and finally the severing of t'he assembled filled sheets into cakesand the orderly laying of such cakes in trays or pans for furtherhandling, shipment, cooking or other treatment.

Further objects are to provide simple, practical and eiilcient apparatusfor carrying out the several steps and in the nature of a machine whichcan be sold alt low cost and be used by various operators withoutprevious training or special skill.

Other objects and the novel features of the invention are set forth orwill appear in the course of the following specification.

The drawings accompanying and forming part of' the specificationillustrate one practical commercial embodiment of the invention. Thestructure however may be modified and changed as regards this particulardisclosure, all within the true intent and broad scope. of the inventionas hereinafter defined and claimed.

80 Fig. 1 is a broken part sectional view illustrating the co-relationand operation of the various parts of the machine.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are broken sectional detalls i1- lustratingsuccessivesteps in the operations of measuring out, feeding and deliveringmeasured charges of filling material to one sheet of dough on the dieroller in position to be covered by the backing sheet.

Fig. 5 is a broken sectional detail ofthe dough 40 feeding and sheetingmechanism. y

Figs. 6 and 'l are broken plan and sectional views of the final product,Fig. 'l being taken as on line 'I--l of Fig. 6.

In the general view, Fig. l, the machine is shown as embodying a. pairof hoppers 9, I0 for holding the dough or other material to be sheeted,with a hopper I I, for the filling material located between the doughhoppers and mechanism associated with the latter for measuring, cuttingoil,

feeding out and delivering measured charges of the filling onto onedough sheet I2, over cavities I3, in die roll I4, in position to becovered by the backing sheet I5.

The assembled layers of dough or other sheeting, with the deposits offilling material between,

pass downwardly about the back of the die roll and over the top of asupport roll I6, which carries the assembled sheets beneath a rotarycutter I1, havingblades I8, which cut, score or weaken the sheets acrosstransversely and circular 5 knives I9, which out, score, indent orweaken the sheets' on longitudinal lines.

From the cutter roll I6, the severed or partly severed cakes, still inmore or less sheetlike formation are stripped by 'the blade or guide 20,10 onto a travelling belt 2i, which deposits them in trays 22, advancedby belt conveyor 23.

The sheeting mechanisms at the dough hoppers are alike and are shown asconsisting in each instance of a pair of spaced sheeting rolls 15 24,25, each with a two armed beater and mixer 26, 21, above the same androtating as in Fig. 5, inwardly and downwardly toward the pass betweenthe rolls. These beaters are timed so that the arms will act alternatelyIto force and press 20 the dough downwardly toward the pass and to thenengage, actually or substantially, the companion roll to more or lessout away :the dough alt the back of the rolls.

Below the sheeting and feeding out rolls at 25 the bottom of each doughhopper is a second pair of cooperating sheet feeding rolls 28, 29.lStripper blades 30, are shown associated with the several sheeting andfeeding rolls.

The dough sheet I2, is led downward under a 30 guide roll 3|, which lays.this sheet over the top of die roll I4. The second dough sheet I5,passes downwardly over the top of a guide roll 32, which lays this sheetover the back of the first sheet, which at the time has the charges ofnner de- 35 posited thereon.

The filling material is pressed downwardly in hopper II, by a follower33, in front of an oscillating blade 34, which, on its forward stroke,forces a measured charge of the material out 40 through a dischargeopening 35, as in Fig. 2, into a vertical passage 36, below a feedplunger 3l. The latter as iJt lowers to the position shown in Fig. 3,cuts off the charge from the material in the hopper and forces it downthrough passage 45 36, and through a port 38, in a valve or cut-ofisleeve 39, into position below a final feed or delivery plunger 40,operating down :through said sleeve.

The plunger 49, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. 50 has a movementsuflicient to carry the previously measured charge of filling materialdownwardly onto the first dough sheet I 2, and to lightly force lthecharge, with the sheet ahead of i-t into the underlying cavity I3, inthe die roll I4. 55

In the present disclosure, the feed passage 36, is of such length that acertain amount of filling material, as shown in Fig. 2, remains in thischannel and forms a connecting link, Fig. 3, between IthaIt portion ofmaterial ahead of plunger 31, just previously taken out of the hopperand that portion of material forced 'through port 38, in front ofdelivery plunger 40. The last mentioned portion is substantially equaland equivalent to that portion measured out of the hopper and so theoperation may be considered simply as measuring a charge out of thehopper and then advancing and delivering that or equivalent charge ontothe dough sheet. If desired, the mechanism can be modified to deliverthat same charge of material just removed from the hopper, but forpractical purposes, it is satisfactory to feed the material asillustrated, by adding to the end of a column of material from which anequiavlent charge of material is cut oif for each feeding action.

To slighltly compact the charge and to prevent it from sticking to theend of the delivery plunger 40, as the latter is retracted, this plungeris shown as rotatably mounted in the head 4|, by which ist isreciprocated and as positively rotated by bevel gearing 42, Fig. 1.

The drive of the several parts is effected in the illustration as shownin Fig. l. A motor 43, operates by sprocket gearing 44, a shaft 45,which through a second line of sprocket gearing 46, operates shaft 41.From the latter, a set of sprocket gear connections 48, 61, drives shaft49. The latter carries a sprocket gear 50, driving through chain 5I, andsprocket gear 52, a cam shaft 53.

Cam shaft 53, carries three cams 54, 55, 56, 0perating respectively thearms 51, 58, 59, connected by links 60, 6|, 62, with the heads 63, 64and 4|, carrying respectively the cut-0E and feeding plunger 31, theported valve sleeve 39, and the rotating delivery plunger 40.

Intermittent step-by-step motion is imparted to other portions of theapparatus from a link 65, pivoted to a crank pin 66, on the sprocketgear 61, on shaft 49, said link being connected at its opposite end at68, with a lever 69, rocking on the die roll center 10, and .carrying adrive pawi 1|, engaging the ratchet teeth 12, on the end of or fixed tothe die roll.

The die roll I4, carries or has fixed to it a gear 13, in mesh with agear 14, connected with the cutter roll I6. Gear 14 is in mesh also withgears 15, 16, driving the transverse and longitudinal cutters I1, I9,and in mesh as well with idler 11, driving the gear 18, for the apronconveyor 2 I.

The shaft 19 of cutting roll I6, carries a sprocket pinion 80, whichthrough chain 8|, and pinion 82, on shaft 83, drives the belt conveyor23.

For operating the dough sheeting and kneading devices, the shaft 49carries a gear 84, in mesh with a gear 85, on the shaft 96, of the lowersheeting roll 29, at; the right in Fig. 1. The corresponding sheetingroll 29, at the left in Fig. 1, is driven by gear 81, in mesh with gear85. The lower pairs of sheeting rollers 28, 29, are geared together asindicated at 88. Similarly, the upper pairs of sheeting rollers 24, 25,are geared together as indicated at 89. The beaters 26, 21, likewise aregeared together in pairs at 90, drive chains 9|, 92, from the shafts ofthe lower innermost sheeting rolls 29, operating the upper sheetingrolls and the beaters respectively.

The bevel gearing 42, for turning the delivery plunger 49, is shown asoperated by belt 93, extending from pulley 94, on shaft 83, up overguide pulleys 95, to a pulley 96, on the horizontal bevel gear shaft 91.

The charge separating and feeding out blade 34 is shown as oscillated bymeans of a crank arm 98, Fig. 1, connected by' link 99, with a crank pin|00, on the gear 50, of shaft 49.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the dough in hoppers 9 andI0, will be kneaded and worked by the double armed beaters 26, 21, tothe sheeting rolls 24, 25 and that the sheets of dough I2 and I5, willbe smoothed and advanced by the lower pair of rollers 28, 29. The firstsheet |2, is laid by roll 3|, over the top of die roller |4 and thesecond sheet |5 is laid by roller 32, at the back of the die roller,over the previously laid sheet and after the charge of filling materialhas been deposited on the first layer by the delivery plunger 40. Whilefor simplicity of description only a single plunger has been mentioned,it is understood that ordinarily, there will be a row of such plungersand companion parts, one for each cavity in the die roller.

As the feed blade 34 swings back as shown in Fig. 1, the fillingmaterial in hopper II, settles down in front of the blade, so that onthe forward stroke, Fig. 2, a quantity of the material will be forcedout through port 35, Ainto position in front of plunger 31. As thisplunger comes down, the valve sleeve 64, is lowered as in Fig. 3, toregister the port 38, therein with the lower end of passage 36, thus toadmit a quantity of the material into position in front of the deliveryplunger 40. Then, while the cut-oii plunger 31, still remains in loweredposition and the valve sleeve is lowered to serve as a guide directlyover the die cylinder, the plunger 40, comes down to place the charge onthe dough sheet I2, and to force this sheet into the registered diecavity. The rotation imparted to this delivery plunger enables thisseating pressure to be applied without the material sticking to theplunger as it is retracted.

The second dough sheet I5 is firmly pressed over the filled first sheetby roller 32, and as the assembled sheets pass downwardly over and ontothe larger supporting roll I6, the cutter bars I8. first sever or weakenthe sheets on the transverse lines |8a, Fig. 6 and discs I9, then severor weaken the sheets on the longitudinal lines |9a, thus to separate oroutline the individual cakes which pass on as such, onto the top run ofapron 2|, which advances them into the trays 22, on conveyor 23.

The number, size and shape of the'cakes produced may be greatly variedand while particularly suited to the manufacture of ravioli, it will beappreciated that the invention may be utilized for the production ofvarious other ar" ticles.

The operation is automatic, requiringno special attention or skilledoperator. The sleeve 39, in reciprocating toward and away from the diecylinder, provides a guide for the charge of filling material insuringthat it will accurately center over and then be forced by the plunger tofill the die cavity. By segregating the filling material into separatecharges, there is no overiiow or waste and the two layers of sheetingkmaterial can meet and seal together about the interposed materialdeposited between them.

The `die cavities can be made to produce cakes of various shapes andthese when cut' apart may be automatically packed or stacked in suitablecontainers.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the character disclosed,'the combination of means forsheeting material in two layers, a roll having die cavities, means forlaying one layer of such material over the top of Said die roll, meansfor formingseparated charges of material vand for depositing saidseparated charges of material on top of said layer over said cavities inthe die roll and means for laying said secondV layer of sheeted materialover said iirst layer on said die roll and over the charge of materialso deposited on saidv rst layer, said charge depositing means includinga vertically operating plunger over the top of said die noller having astroke suicient to force the charges of material and the iirst layerinto said cavities in the die roller.

2. In a machine of the character disclosed, the combination of means forsheeting material in two layers, a roll having die cavities, means forlaying one layer of such material over said die roll, means for formingseparated charges of material and for depositing said separated chargesof material on said layer'over said cavities in the die roll and meansfor laying said second layer of sheeted material over said first layeron said die roll and over the charge of material so deposited on saidrst layer, said charge depositing means including a plunger having astroke suiiicient to force the charges of material and the ilrst layerinto said cavities in the die roller and mechanism for imparting rotarymotion to said plunger to clear it from the deposited material.

3. In a machine of `the characterdisclosed, the combination of means forsheeting material in two layers, a roll having die cavities, means forlaying one layer of such-material over said die roll, means for formingseparated charges of material and for depositing vsaid separatedfcharges of material on said layer over said cavilties in the die rolland means for laying said rate layers oi material, a die roller havingiie.

cavities, means for leading one layer of sheeted material onto said rollat one side and over the top of said die roll, means for leading theother layer of sheeted material over the first layer, at the oppositeside of said die roll and means for depositing separate charges offilling material on the single, ilrst laid 'layer oi sheeted material onthe die roll over-the top of said roll, between the points of laying onof the separate layers at said opposite sidesfof said die roller, saidlast means including mechanism for forming separate charges of iillingmaterial and a plunger operating over the top oi said'die roll inbetween the pointso! laying on the separatel layers 4at opposite sidesoi' the die roller :lor positively 5. In a machine ofthe characterdisclosed, the combination of cooperating sheeting rollers in spacedrelation and rotating toward each other to form a sheeting pass and apair of rotary nixing arms cooperating with each of said sheetingrollers, said mixing arms of the respective sheeting rollers beinggeared together to turn inwardly toward the pass between the sheetingrollers.

6. In a machine of the character disclosed, the combination of a hopperhaving a discharge port in one side, a delivery passage leading fromsaid port, a blade oscllating'in Asaid hopper to pass material in thehopper out through said discharge port into said delivery passage, afeed plunger operating in said delivery passage adjoining said dischargeport and a delivery .plunger operating in the opposite end of saiddelivery passage.

-' 7. In a machine of the character disclosed, the combination of ahopper having a discharge port in `one side, a delivery passage leadingfrom said port, a blade oscillating in said hopper to pass material inthe hopper out through said discharge port into said delivery passage, afeed plunger operating in said delivery passage adjoining said dischargeport and a delivery plungeri operating in the opposite end of saiddelivery passage and Aa valve sleeve at the delivery end 'of saidpassage and controlling admission of material from said delivery passageVto said de-v livery plunger.

8. In a machine of the character disclosed, the combination of a hopperhaving a discharge port in one side, a delivery passage leading frompassage, a valve sleeve at the. delivery end o1' said i passage andcontrolling admission o1' material from said delivery passage to saiddelivery plunger, said delivery plunger operating in said valve sleeve,means for reciprocating said valve sleeve to project the same as a guideand a support for sheeted material adjacent the end oi said sleeve whenso projected as 'a`suide.

9. In a machine of the character disclosed.

the combination of a hopper-for filling material, a feed blade.oscillating in said hopper, a delivery passage receiving materialadvanced by said feed blade, a plunger for advancing the ted material insaid delivery passage, a ported valve sleeve Vat the discharge end ofsaid passage.' means for reciprocating said valve sleeve to alternatelycarry the port therein into and out of registering relation with thematerial passage, a deliv-r-V ery plunger operating in said valvesleeve, a die roller having die cavities therein to register with saiddelivery plunger, dough hoppers at opposite sides ci said filling matealhopper, dough sheetforcing the separate charges into the cavities in lthe die roller;

thereon. y 4 l IJQUIS G. yIJOMBI.

